During his maiden visit to Dhanbad, Srivastava said the power system was reeling under a pool of problems.

"...To remove the hurdles and to ensure 24x7 power supply in the state, there is need of resources to improve infrastructure, which can be generated only through enhancing power tariff," he said.

Srivastava said JUVNL purchases power at a high rate of Rs five per unit and supplies it at Rs 2.20 per unit.

"Without plugging the gap of purchase and sale, improvement of power infrastructure is not possible. Power is costlier in most neighbouring states. In Bengal, the power tariff is Rs eight per unit," the CMD said.

"We will file application to the Electricity Regulatory Commission next week for enhancing power tariff to plug the gaps in rate of purchase and sell," he said after meeting officials of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and JUVNL.

The CMD, however, refused to disclose the rate of tariff hike.

The JUVNL CMD had rushed to Dhanbad along with state energy secretary of Jharkhand Rahul Purwar for an emergency meeting in wake of a black out like situation in DVC dependent six districts of the state - Hazaribagh, Koderma, Ramgarh, Bokaro, Dhanbad and Giridih for the last one month.

Srivastava said DVC and JUVNL officials have been asked to submit reports behind power tripping by July 30.

On load shedding in six districts where DVC supplies power, Srivastava said Jharkhand needs to pay around Rs 600 crore to DVC as power dues and he would talk to DVC chairman to chalk out a middle path for avoiding the load shedding due to non-payment.

DVC deputy chief engineer S K Bose, who was also at the meeting, however, said until Jharkhand pays Rs 210 crore per month, load shedding in six districts would continue.

For developing transmission system and alternative line, a DPR of worth Rs 3,200 crore has been prepared to ensure power in each house by 2019, he said.

Transmission line project worth Rs 900 crore has already been started and the World Bank has sanctioned a loan of Rs 2,500 crore for it, the JUVNL CMD said adding, if needed they would also explore developing transmission lines on PPP model. PTI COR DKB

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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